Spotify’s CEO on Tuesday aired his frustration with Taylor Swift’s critique of the streaming music service, arguing that his company’s revenue sharing agreements ensure that musicians get paid for their work and serve as a bulwark against online piracy.

“We started Spotify because we love music and piracy was killing it,” wrote CEO Daniel Ek in a post on Spotify’s official blog. Ek said that Spotify had paid a total of $2 billion to music labels and their associated artists since Spotify launched in 2008, a sum he argued wouldn’t exist had fans downloaded the music through pirated websites.

Ek’s defense came in the wake of pop artist Taylor Swift’s widely publicized decision to pull all of her music, save one song, from the streaming service last week. Swift has previously criticized Spotify’s payments to musical artists — which average less than a penny per played song — as inadequate…

You will be hearing this from me quite often because I am constantly envisioning things that do not exist. If you ever watch the animated film, The Croods, pay attention to the character called Belt aka Emergency Idea Generator. Belt and I are two sides of the same coin…except, I prefer to be called something a bit more fashionista-esque because I am a girly engineer (sometimes). So…let’s go with Innovangelista.

Most adults do not have active imaginations. They choose to accept things the way they are. They talk about mortgages, taxes, promotions and the ever-depressing news. Heck, sometimes they even rationalize getting married or having kids by potential tax breaks. Unfreakinbelievable!

I have a theory: I am an imaginative child-like soul, residing as a tenant in a 16-year old body, with an adult degree. Best of all worlds if you ask me. Lots of pros with that combination (aging gracefully being one of them haha).

Pros:

I imagine a world with lots of new technologies that have yet to be invented, but can be invented given current resources.

My engineering background allows me to rationalize how said idea can address an unmet need and become a tangible product.

Life is about having fun. It’s okay to think outside the box and ask a lot of “Why?” questions. Challenge yourself. Challenge your peers. Have fun with learning! With that, let’s innovate this Tow Alert Service.

Innovangelista Idea Activate!

Current Technology

Without a smart phone, you could call 911 and ask if your car is listed on the tow log.

With a smart phone, you could google like my coworker did.

The Problem

The time spent by 911 dispatchers identifying a car’s status (towed vs stolen vs driver forgot where he/she parked) quickly adds up. This is obviously an inefficient use of time.

The anxiety felt by the driver when he/she cannot locate his/her car is mindboggling.

The Solution

An email or SMS alert is sent to you when your car is towed.

It would be very similar to the SMS weather alerts, which warn us of impending flash floods or tornadoes.

How to Implement

When you register your car, your license plate is linked to your cell phone and email address. Then, when your car is towed and added to the tow log, an email or SMS is automatically sent to your phone.

Revenue

A one-time fee of $0.99 or less is paid by customers who sign up for this email/SMS service. Or, the service is free to the user, but each email/SMS has a an advertisement included. Companies pay to have their ads included in these messages.

If you were to categorize scientists/engineers as the innovative-visionaries versus the conservative-realists, then I would be in the innovator category. I have often dreamed of delivering a ground-breaking, awe-inspiring Ted Talk. Who knows? Maybe that dream will come to pass one day.

Do you know that there is a difference between an inventor and an innovator? Few scientists/engineers are both. An inventor creates a new technology/device/drug/process, and she patents it. She invents this new entity, challenges the state-of-the-art, and goes to bed feeling like Alberta Einstein. (Yes, I made Albert’s name effeminate). But, the inventor has no business savvy. To prevent the invention from only living on paper, she will (1) sell the intellectual property to a larger, more established company OR (2) partner with an entrepreneur and spinoff a new company in hopes that her technology gets commercialized OR (3) let her invention ‘die’ in the patent world, never to be heard of by you or me.

An innovator, on the other hand, improves existing designs, develops and commercializes a new technology/device/drug/process. When that new technology is marketed, the world says “Ahh, why didn’t I think of that?”

I’ll give you a great example. Have you heard of Elias Howe? Hmm. Probably not.

Have you heard of Isaac Singer? Hmm. Not sure? How about Singer Sewing Machines.

Howe’s patent for the first sewing machine was issued in 1846, but he couldn’t get investors interested in his design. Singer improved on the design and filed a patent in 1851, and he tirelessly pursued the commercialization of his design. Howe was the inventor, and Singer was the innovator. One hundred years later and Singer’s name is stillsynonymous with sewing machines.

Some scientists/engineers, however, can be both inventor and innovator. Just think of the Wright Brothers and the invention/innovation of the airplane ;).

I think I am more of an innovator than an inventor, but so far I have only proved that I am an inventor. I am a proud patent holder; my first of three patents was filed in 2011. And, I did explore my innovative side by founding a startup – but I opted for an industry position where I had more financial stability. And, my innovator bug is itching to “buss’ out”.